Demolition plans for 1,500 homes in Middlesbrough were being put under the microscope today.

Middlesbrough Council's Overview and Scrutiny Board was considering the recent decision of the authority's Executive to back a strategy regarding the future of 11,500 terraced homes in the town centre and North Ormesby.

The strategy includes controversial plans to knock down 1,500 of the homes in the Gresham area. The Executive's decision has been called in under the scrutiny process.

Gresham ward councillor Ken Walker and Liberal Democrat councillor Maelor Williams, who led the two call-in of the issue, were expected to question the scale of the demolition at today's meeting.

The Executive's case for the strategy, which also includes improvements for thousands of other terraced houses and terraced housing areas, was to be presented to the board by Dave Budd, Executive councillor for regeneration and the council's regeneration director Tim White. The board cannot change the Executive's decision.

It could ask the Executive to reconsider or make additional recommendations.

The Executive is expected to meet next week to consider the outcome of today's meeting. Campaigners have launched two petitions against the plans.